This invention is generally concerned with a mailing machine including a postage meter having a rotary postage printing drum provided with an envelope deflector, and more particularly, with an improved deflector.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,072,052 for Automatic Feeding Apparatus, issued Jan. 8, 1963 to Bach, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a mailing machine including a base, having an inking roller, and including a postage meter, having a rotary postage printing drum which is removably mounted on the base. The mailing machine additionally includes structure for feeding envelopes therethrough in a downstream path of travel to the postage meter. And, downstream from the postage printing drum, the mailing machine includes outfeed roller structure, including a spring loaded roller in the meter, for urging envelopes downwardly, and a driven feed roller in the base for feeding envelopes beneath the spring loaded roller out of the machine.
U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 07/810,597 for a Mailing Machine Including Printing Drum Decleration And Coasting Control System, by Eckert, Jr., et. al., and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a mailing machine of the aforesaid type which includes a control system in the base for operating the mailing machine in various modes of operation, including, inter alia, "print and seal" and "seal only" modes of operation. In the "print and seal" mode, the postage printing drum is driven through a single revolution and into engagement with the envelope to both feed and print a postage value on the envelope, as it is fed downstream to the outfeed roller structure. And, in the "seal only" mode, the postage printing drum is not driven, but rather the envelope is fed downstream beneath the drum and thus directly to the outfeed roller structure. Since the postage printing drum is not driven into engagement with envelopes in the "seal only" mode of operation, such envelopes may not remain in contact with the deck as they are fed beneath the drum to the outfeed roller structure. Rather, such envelopes may become jammed against the outfeed roller structure. Accordingly, the postage printing drums of mailing machines have been equipped with envelope deflecting structures, including a spring loaded device which is fixedly attached to the postage printing drum so a to depend therefrom and into the path of travel of envelopes beneath the drum, to apply a normal, or hold down, force to the envelopes to ensure that they are properly fed to the outfeed roller structure.
The aforesaid envelope deflecting structure has historically been fabricated from a multiplicity of stainless steel sheet metal stampings provided with adjustable portions configured for sliding engagement with one another, and a stainless steel spring and hinge pin. Aside from the high cost of manufacture, such deflectors are noisy in operation and require the attention of highly skilled field maintenance personnel to adjust the operation thereof from time-to-time. Accordingly,
an object of the invention is to provide an improved mailing machine including a postage printing drum provided with a low cost, operationally quiet, envelope deflecting device;
another object is to provide envelope deflecting structure for use in a postage meter including a rotary postage printing drum; and
another object is to provide envelope deflecting structure for use in a postage meter, wherein such structure is a single piece part molded from a resilient thermoplastic plastic material.